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Journal of Advanced Ceramics 2023, 12(8): 1511-1520 https://doi.org/10.26599/JAC.2023.9220768
Research Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 14 July 2023

Superior multiphase interfaces in AgCuTe-based composite with significantly enhanced thermoelectric properties

Show Author's Information Wenpei Lia,†,  Zhonghai Yua,†,  Chengyan Liua( ),  Ying Pengb,  Baoquan Fenga,  Jie Gaoa,  Guojing Wua,  Xiaobo Baia,  Junliang Chena,  Xiaoyang Wanga,  Lei Miaoa( )
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials, Electronical Information Materials and Devices Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Precision Navigation Technology and Application, School of Information and Communication, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China

† Wenpei Li and Zhonghai Yu contributed equally to this work.

Keywords:
thermoelectric (TE) materials, AgCuTe, phase interface, carrier scattering, phonon scattering
Cite this article:
Li W, Yu Z, Liu C, et al. Superior multiphase interfaces in AgCuTe-based composite with significantly enhanced thermoelectric properties. Journal of Advanced Ceramics, 2023, 12(8): 1511-1520. https://doi.org/10.26599/JAC.2023.9220768
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

It is common sense that a phase interface (or grain boundary) could be used to scatter phonons in thermoelectric (TE) materials, resulting in low thermal conductivity (κ). However, a large number of impurity phases are always so harmful to the transport of carriers that poor TE performance is obtained. Here, we demonstrate that numerous superior multiphase (AgCuTe, Ag2Te, copper telluride (Cu2Te and Cu2−xTe), and nickel telluride (NiTe)) interfaces with simultaneous strong phonon scattering and weak electron scattering could be realized in AgCuTe-based TE materials. Owing to the similar chemical bonds in these phases, the depletion region at phase interfaces, which acts as carrier scattering centers, could be ignored. Therefore, the power factor (PF) is obviously enhanced from ~609 to ~832 μW·m−1·K−2, and κ is simultaneously decreased from ~0.52 to ~0.43 W·m−1·K−1 at 636 K. Finally, a peak figure of merit (zT) of ~1.23 at 636 K and an average zT (zTavg) of ~1.12 in the temperature range of 523–623 K are achieved, which are one of the best values among the AgCuTe-based TE materials. This study could provide new guidance to enhance the performance by designing superior multiphase interfaces in the TE materials.


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About this article

Superior multiphase interfaces in AgCuTe-based composite with significantly enhanced thermoelectric properties

Show Author's information Wenpei Lia,†, Zhonghai Yua,†, Chengyan Liua( ), Ying Pengb, Baoquan Fenga, Jie Gaoa, Guojing Wua, Xiaobo Baia, Junliang Chena, Xiaoyang Wanga, Lei Miaoa( )
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials, Electronical Information Materials and Devices Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Precision Navigation Technology and Application, School of Information and Communication, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China

† Wenpei Li and Zhonghai Yu contributed equally to this work.

Abstract

It is common sense that a phase interface (or grain boundary) could be used to scatter phonons in thermoelectric (TE) materials, resulting in low thermal conductivity (κ). However, a large number of impurity phases are always so harmful to the transport of carriers that poor TE performance is obtained. Here, we demonstrate that numerous superior multiphase (AgCuTe, Ag2Te, copper telluride (Cu2Te and Cu2−xTe), and nickel telluride (NiTe)) interfaces with simultaneous strong phonon scattering and weak electron scattering could be realized in AgCuTe-based TE materials. Owing to the similar chemical bonds in these phases, the depletion region at phase interfaces, which acts as carrier scattering centers, could be ignored. Therefore, the power factor (PF) is obviously enhanced from ~609 to ~832 μW·m−1·K−2, and κ is simultaneously decreased from ~0.52 to ~0.43 W·m−1·K−1 at 636 K. Finally, a peak figure of merit (zT) of ~1.23 at 636 K and an average zT (zTavg) of ~1.12 in the temperature range of 523–623 K are achieved, which are one of the best values among the AgCuTe-based TE materials. This study could provide new guidance to enhance the performance by designing superior multiphase interfaces in the TE materials.

Keywords: thermoelectric (TE) materials, AgCuTe, phase interface, carrier scattering, phonon scattering

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Publication history

Received: 31 March 2023
Revised: 02 May 2023
Accepted: 18 May 2023
Published: 14 July 2023
Issue date: August 2023

Copyright

© The Author(s) 2023.

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 52262032, 52273285, 51961011, 52061009, and U21A2054) and the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2022YFE0119100).

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